Under the Sea
by Kieno0324
Summary: Mai had never been one to wonder what human life was like. One moment changed that all. She is dragged into a world she doesn't know by a power she doesn't understand. Can Oliver Davis and his twin help her? Or will they fail in saving her from the curse?
1. Prologue

_Well, here's a new story. I hope I can juggle it and Ways of the Sinister. Sinister is almost done and this AU got stuck in my head so I thought I would go ahead and post it! Please review!!_

* * *

Under the Sea

Prologue

Mai looked through the seaweed carefully as she looked for the bracelet that she had lost earlier. Her heart would be broken if she had lost the bracelet for good. It had been the last thing her grandmother had given her before passing on. Mai gave a sigh of relief as the sun glinted of the gold bracelet. She swam forward and grabbed the trinket before swimming away from the field of seaweed as she placed the bracelet back around her wrist.

'I need to get someone to fix the clasp on this thing. Mother would be just as upset as me if I lost this.' Mai thought as she swam as quickly as she could towards Atlantis. The castle and homes soon came into her vision and she swam towards the palace. While she wasn't the princess, one of her friends was.

Michiru was the youngest daughter of the King of Atlantis. Mai had met her one day when she and her parents had been invited to dinner and the two children had become fast friends. Mai spent most of her time at the palace with her friend as all her mother wanted to talk about were marriage options.

'Who wants to get married at such a young age? I mean come on, I'm only sixteen years old.' Mai thought as she swam up to her friend's balcony. She tapped on the closed balcony doors. Michiru instantly opened them up and Mai swam in.

"Mai, did you find it?" Michiru asked. Mai nodded as she lifted her wrist to allow Michiru look at the bracelet. Mai swam over to her friend's bed and lowered herself on it.

"Yes, I think I need to get the clasp fixed." Mai said as she flicked her tail. She raised an eyebrow as she saw that Michiru was looking at her curiously.

"What? Am I missing a scale or something?" Mai asked as she began to inspect her tail. She heard her friend laugh and she looked up at Michiru. The girl's shell bra matched her pink tail as she looked at Mai.

"No, it's that your tail has gotten darker now that you're getting ready to turn seventeen." Michiru said. Mai frowned before inspecting her once light blue tail. She realized that her tail was a much darker blue as she compared it to her once matching shell bra.

"I suppose so. Your tail didn't get any darker." Mai said. Michiru was getting ready to turn eighteen and Mai knew that the older girl's tail hadn't gotten any darker from it's original light pink color, which it remained at.

"I don't know. Hey, I heard some girls whispering that there is supposed to be a human ship up on the surface. I want to go look. I've never seen humans before!" Michiru said suddenly very excited. Mai felt her stomach drop. She didn't like that look on her friend's face.

"Michiru, our parents have forbidden us from ever going to the surface! It's supposed to be dangerous up there!" Mai said. Michiru rolled her eyes before she swam to where Mai was sitting and flicked her tail so that it hit Mai on the shoulder.

"When have we ever listened to our parents? I mean, come on! We are old enough to decide what we want to do. You've always talked about looking at a human! Now we have a chance! Don't tell me that you just want to let that go!" Michiru said as she took a seat beside Mai on the bed.

"Alright! You're right. I mean...what's life without a few risks?!" Mai agreed with a laugh. Michiru nodded and they both began to laugh. Mai couldn't help but wonder in the back of her mind what she had gotten herself into. She didn't realize that agreeing to her friend's plan would change her life forever.

* * *

"I'm beginning to have second thoughts about this." Mai whispered to Michiru as they broke the surface of the water. Michiru rolled her eyes before pointing to the boat with a smile on her face.

"There's the ship. Come on, let's go!" Michiru began to drag a struggling Mai towards the ship before the younger mermaid found herself staring up at the ship. She could hear singing and laughter. She bit her lip before pulling herself up and she was soon sitting on a little shelf on the side of the boat. She reached down and helped Michiru up so they were sitting together.

"They're odd looking." Mai whispered as she brushed her wet bangs from her face. She noticed a tall figure in the shadows before it shifted. It was a man with black hair and his bangs fell into his face. She saw a curly haired woman skip over to the tall man and she smiled as the woman wrapped her arms around the tall man. She was always glad to see others get along.

"I can't believe you refused another girl, Prince!" a male's voice called. Mai moved her gaze and saw a pale looking young man sitting on the rail opposite of where they were hiding. He had a very furry looking thing laying at his feet, wagging it's tail happily.

Mai's attention was caught completely by the human. His hair was darker than anything else she had seen. It fell into eyes that Mai found that she would give anything to stare into all day. They were a deep blue that Mai had only see in the deepest waters, which she had been forbidden from swimming into.

"If you liked her so much, why didn't you ask her to marry you?" the man quipped. Mai felt a smile on her face as she heard him speak. His voice was like silk to her. She squeaked as he walked over towards where she and Michiru was sitting. She heard the splash of Michiru diving back into the water and she hid in the shadows.

She looked up into the human's face and felt her heart beating quickly. She hadn't realized how handsome he was. His black hair fell into his deep blue eyes. She found herself drowning in the stormy hues, as much as a mermaid could drown at least.

"Brother, don't let them get to you. They're amused by this." she felt her eyes widen as what looked like a replica of the first human joined him at the railing of the ship. She realized that they had to be twins. However, her attention was still held by the first twin.

"I know that, Gene. It doesn't mean that it doesn't annoy me." he said. Mai stifled a giggle at the first twin's expression. She saw the boy named Gene frown as he caught part of her laughter and she hid even farther. Had he heard her?

"Maybe you need a woman, Noll!" Gene told the first twin. Mai felt her heart skip a beat. She had a name. She felt a hot blush spread across her cheeks before crying out as there was a clap of thunder.

"Mai!! Get down!!" she heard Michiru cry. She took one more look at the twins as they turned back to the ship's crew. She turned and dived back into the waters that were beginning to rage. She was under the surface and Michiru was trying to drag her back towards their home.

"Come on, Mai! We need to get home! If father notices that I'm missing he'll tell your mother! Then you'll never be allowed to come back over!" Michiru told her. Mai nodded and turned to go with her friend. She was stopped as she saw a flash of light out of the corner of her eye.

"I think that ship was just hit by lightening!" she cried. Michiru rolled her eyes before she continued to try and drag Mai away.

"Who cares?! Mai, don't you realize how much trouble we'll be in? Just because we're out while that sea witch is brewing a storm?!" the older mermaid demanded. Mai managed to slip her grip and swam quickly towards the surface. "MAI!!"

Mai ignored the call as she broke the surface. She could see the ship burning not far away and felt her heart clench. She heard voices shouting and saw what looked like miniature boats. She swam close enough just to hear what the humans were saying.

"Where is Noll?!" she heard a panicked voice shout. She could see the figure that was shouting and recognized it as the other twin. She looked back at the burning boat and realized the other boy had to be on the vessel. Swimming as hard as she could she made her way over to the boat.

'Where is he?' she thought as she swam around the burning mass. She caught sight of a figure through the smoke and felt her heart skip. "NOLL!! DIVE OFF THIS SIDE!! OVER HERE!!"

She watched as the figure stumbled through the smoke. She watched as he dived into the water and she swam towards him. She watched as he struggled against the violent waves. She gasped as he went under and she waited for him to resurface but he never did. She dived under and saw that he was sinking fast. She swam as fast as she could towards him and grabbed his arm and dragged him to the surface.

She was slightly relieved to see that the storm was beginning to back off. She shifted so that Noll's arm was resting on her shoulder and she wondered what her next move would be. She could see the little ships that the others had been on in the distance. She gave a soft sigh.

"I've already screwed everything else up. Might as well follow them." she mentioned to her unconscious burden. She followed the ships until she realized the beach that they were heading for. She did a little detour to make sure that she could leave her burden in a safe spot.

She managed to drag him up on the beach. One he was laying on the warm beach sand, she reached out and brushed his wet bangs from his forehead. She felt a smile spread across her face as she stared at him. She buried her tail into the warm sand an gave soft sigh of contentment. She watched as Noll's eyes slowly opened and she leaned over him.

Noll slowly opened his eyes and the first thing that he realized was that somebody was leaning over him. His eyes trailed over the feminine face that was over his. He felt his eyes widen slightly as his eyes locked with deep brown hues in the delicate face. He reached up and brushed the girl's cheek. He watched as a blush spread across her cheeks.

"Your eyes..." he murmured. She had the most interesting eyes. He watched as they lightened to a cinnamon color. "Your eyes are very interesting."

"So are yours." the girl above him murmured. He blinked in surprise before he heard a loud barking. He watched as the girl looked up before leaving him. He tried to reach out and stop her but she managed to escape his grasp.

He sat up quickly and was very sure that he saw a fish fin disappearing into the ocean. He frowned before shaking his head. Her face was still stuck in his mind and he frowned. He found himself being tackled by his dog, Lopez, into the sand.

"Noll!!" he pushed the large shaggy dog off of him as his brother knelt down beside him and slapped him on the back. "I didn't think you were going to be alive! How on earth did you get on the beach?"

"A girl..." Noll murmured as he continued to stare into the ocean. He heard his brother's laughter but he tuned it out as he saw a brown haired face staring at him. He knew the face and he watched as the girl's face paled before she dived back into the water.

"Come on, let's get home. It sounds like you need the rest." Gene said as he helped his brother. Noll remained silent as he sent one last look at the ocean. Somehow he knew that she was already gone.

'Could she have actually been...a mermaid? I thought they were just myths?' he asked himself as he let his brother lead him away.

* * *

Mai bit her lip as she swam through the waters towards the palace. She swam into Michiru's room and was relieved when she saw the girl was sitting on the bed. Michiru squealed and jumped from her bed and hugged her tightly.

"Thank goodness you're alright! I told your mother that you were staying the night. I didn't know if you would come home! I was so worried about you!!" she cried and Mai gave a soft sigh. She sat down on the bed and placed her head in her hands.

"Mai, what's wrong?" Michiru asked.

"I saved a human. He woke-up and saw me, Michiru. He...he had the most beautiful blue eyes. I felt as though I could drown in them." Mai whispered. She heard Michiru gasp in surprise. "He...he was so beautiful. I'm so thankful that I was able to see him."

"Mai...that tone of voice. You sound...you sound as though...you're besotted!!" Michiru cried. Mai jerked in surprise before looking at her friend. She felt her cheeks flare at the thought before she shook her head. But there was nothing she could do to get his face out of her mind. She gave a small groan.

"How is that even possible! I only saved him because I didn't want him to drown at the hands of that stupid sea witch!!" Mai exclaimed. Michiru tilted her head before giving a small smile.

"It'll be okay. Do you know where he lives?" Michiru asked. Mai shook her head. not liking the look that was on her friend's face. What in the ocean was she planning?

"No. But I left him on the beach about five miles from here. That was the course that ship was set on. He might live there. And I think I heard someone address him as royalty!!" Mai exclaimed before groaning. "It's bad enough that he doesn't have a tail...but now he's a royal!!"

"There's a palace on that island!! He may live there! Tomorrow we should go see!" Michiru suggested. Mai shook her head but before she could stop her friend Michiru had already swam away and she sighed.

"What am I getting into?" she asked herself and not really wanting to know. She closed her eyes and was instantly reminded of Noll's deep blue eyes. 'I wonder if Michiru is right? Could I really...be in love?'

* * *

Noll looked up at the night sky and ran a hand through his hair. He looked down at the water that was reflecting the moonlight. He wondered if he would ever see the young girl again. He gave a soft sigh and shook his head.

"I was imagining things. Mermaids aren't real." he told himself before he heard a splash. He looked down at the water and felt his eyes widen as he saw a familiar delicate face staring up at him.

"If mermaids aren't real, then how am I here?" the girl asked.

* * *

_There it is!! New story!! Yay!! Please review and tell me what you think. The next chapter will hopefully be longer, as this is going to be a mix between Snow White and the Little Mermaid! Hope you enjoyed!! And review!!_


	2. Chapter 1

Noll stared at the face for a moment. He closed his eyes and shook his head. When he reopened his eyes the face was still there, staring up at him bemusedly before she suddenly let out a giggle. He watched as she swam closer and he could see her large eyes sparkling up at him.

"Are all humans this quiet?" the girl asked and Noll was jerked from his silence before looking at the girl.

"Are all mermaids as talkative as you?" he asked and she giggled. He watched as she dived back into the water and he jerked away as she managed to splash him. When her head broke the surface again he scowled at her and she shook her head. He watched as her attention turned to the beach.

"Why don't you come down to the beach? So we can actually talk without shouting?" she suggested. Noll tilted his head before nodding in agreement and she raised an eyebrow. He sighed as he realized that she was waiting for a verbal reply.

"I'll be down in a few moments." he told her. He watched as her face split into a grin before disappearing beneath the water. He turned and walked back into his bedroom which the balcony was connected to. He grabbed his cloak and slipped out of his room.

He could hear his brother bouncing around in his own bedroom. Noll rolled his eyes before quietly leaving through the kitchen of the palace. He knew people wondered how he was always able to slip from his and his brother's care-takers, but to him it wasn't that hard. Madoka was so loud all the time that it was rather easy to slip out.

Once he was on the beach he began to search for the woman. He still wasn't sure if he was just imagining things. He couldn't believe that a mermaid had saved him and had just invited him to sit on the beach. He was sure that he had lost his mind. Until he saw the mermaid sitting on the beach.

She was magnificent, he thought as he approached. His eyes trailed over the human portion of her body for a moment until they rested on her waist. Her tail started where her hips would have been. His eyes trailed down the deep blue tail until he encountered the fin that she was resting in the water. He looked back at her face as she cleared her throat.

"Are you done studying me?" she asked. He looked away before sitting down beside her and she gave a soft laugh. "It's not wrong to study something that you aren't used to. I think that you're quite interesting."

"Have you always known of human existence?" he asked her. He watched as she rolled her eyes innocently before giggling happily. He forced himself not to smile at the sound. It was like a bell, it was beautiful and made him want to join in the laughter.

"Yes. We have. But they always told us to avoid humans when we were younger. They said that humans would exploit us or kill us or do things. I never really understood what that meant. You aren't going to try and kill me, are you?" she asked jovially. He raised an eyebrow before shaking his head at her.

"No. You saved my life and for that I thank you and owe you my life." he told her. He watched as she blushed and twirled a strand of light brown hair around one of her fingers.

"You're welcome. You don't have to say that you know. I just did what I thought was right. I couldn't just let you die." she told him. He chuckled before looking up at the night sky. He felt her staring but didn't say anything until she spoke up.

"How old are you and your brother?" she asked. He glanced at her and shrugged.

"We'll turn eighteen in a few days. Yourself?" he turned the question back and she smiled.

"I just turned seventeen. Today is my birthday actually. My tail has already changed from it's light blue to navy." she splashed the incoming water to emphasize this. Noll's attention was drawn by the tail and she rolled her eyes before clearing her throat. He looked back at her.

"Would you like to touch my tail?" she asked. She watched his eyes widen and sighed. She reached out and gently took his hand before placing it below where her knees would have been, should she have been human.

She watched at his eyes widened. She smiled. She knew her tail felt like a fish's skin, how else was it supposed to feel? After all, a mermaid _was_ part fish. So it was only right that her tail be made out of fish scales.

"Amazing." he breathed as he pulled his hand away. He looked at her and she giggled at the amazed look on his face.

"You look as though you were being offered a gift. Are humans this easily amazed?" she asked him with a smile and he scowled before pulling his hand away quickly.

"Are all mermaids as annoying as you?" he asked and she felt her mouth drop open before she turned away with a huff.

"And are all humans so rude?" she returned the insult and he shrugged his shoulders.

"My brother seems to have manners." he said and she looked at him. She smiled brightly before laughing at him.

"You and your brother look very much alike." she mentioned. She saw him roll his eyes and she tilted her head curiously.

"I'm better looking." he muttered in a surly voice and she laughed. He looked at her and saw that she was shaking her head at him.

"You are a narcissist, aren't you, Noll?" she asked. He didn't ask how she knew his name. She had undoubtedly heard it when she saved him. "Since you are a narcissist, I'll call you...Naru!! Narcissistic Naru-chan!!" she exclaimed, obviously happy with her nickname.

"Fine." he told her, silently amused by her nickname. He looked up as there was a burst of thunder and her heard the mermaid beside him gasp.

"Oh, no. Michiru's father must be in a bad mood! I have to go! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed as she made her way towards the water.

"I don't even know your name!" he called. She looked over shoulder as she was almost submerged in water. She gave a small laugh before winking at him. He blinked in surprise. Had she just winked at him?

"Mai! Mai Taniyama, Naru-chan!" she giggled before disappearing underneath the water. He chuckled before leaning back with his hands supporting him. He frowned as he felt something underneath his palm. He curled his hand together and brought a lot of sand up along with the object that had been pushing against his palm.

'A bracelet?' he thought as he looked at the gold charm bracelet. He chuckled as he realized that it had to belong to Mai. 'I suppose we will meet again, my little mermaid. Especially if you want this bracelet back.'

He sat on the beach for a few more moments before pocketing the bracelet and standing up. He brushed the sand off his trousers before making his way back towards the palace. Once he had made his way back into the hallway that his room was on he saw that his brother was leaning in his doorway.

"Where have you been? You think you're sneaky, but I saw you sneaking out onto the beach." Gene told him and Noll shrugged his shoulders.

"So what?" Noll asked. Gene rolled his eyes before running a hand through his hair. Noll waited for his brother to answer his question.

"It isn't like you to just sneak out to go sit on the beach." Gene replied. "And besides that, I could have sworn that I heard a female's voice about a half an hour ago. Right before you left."

"Maybe you're hearing things." Noll told him. Gene scowled before hitting him on the head and Noll winced.

"I know what I heard, you idiot." he replied angrily. Noll chuckled softly before turning to his room. He glanced over his shoulder at his brother and saw that Gene was still scowling at him.

"You said I was crazy for thinking a mermaid saved me." he told his brother and Gene's scowl deepened.

"Mermaids don't exist!!" he cried and Noll raised an eyebrow.

"Says you."

* * *

"Mai, what is with you?" Michiru asked that next morning. Her friend had been acting oddly the whole night and now this morning. Mai gave a soft sigh as she lay down in the seaweed patch just outside of the city. Michiru raised an eyebrow at her friend

"I can't get Naru out of my mind." Mai said wistfully. Michiru raised the other eyebrow as she sat down beside her friend.

"Who's Naru?" Michiru asked curiously. Mai was acting so wistful that Michiru had to wonder what guy was able to make her friend like that.

"The human. He's a bit of narcissist but...I was able to have a conversation with him! I got to watch him walk! Can you imagine what that must feel like?" Mai asked as she sat up and folded her hands in front of her heart. Michiru shook her head at her friend once again before clapping her on the shoulder.

"Mai, I've said it once, I'll say it again. You're in love!" Michiru laughed before she noticed something missing from her friend's wrist. "Mai...where's your bracelet?!"

"Oh, no!! I...I must have lost it on the beach!! I have to go get it!!" Mai took off and Michiru went after her. Michiru tried to grab her fin but missed it. Michiru followed Mai until they both broke the surface and Michiru followed her friend.

"Mai, how are you going to search for it without being noticed?! Surely someone will notice if there's a girl with a fish tail looking for something in the sand!!" Michiru tried to stop her friend. Mai groaned before running a hand through her hair.

"What am I supposed to do?! Mother will kill me if she finds out that I've lost grandmother's bracelet!" Mai exclaimed unhappily. Michiru bit her lips before shaking her head as she tried to think of something that could help them find Mai's treasure.

"Give me a minute. I'll think of something." she assured Mai after a moment of thinking.

* * *

The sea witch, Arena, laughed as she saw King Titan's daughter and her best friend swimming above the surface. She watched through her magical orb as the two young mermaids conversed before smirking as she thought of a way to bring Titan off his throne.

"He'll know if I do anything to the little princess. But if I do something to her best friend, she'll be so consumed by grief...that Titan will be distracted by her grief. And once he isn't looking...the throne will be mine!!" Arena laughed before she waved her hand. She watched as a large wave crashed into the brown headed mermaid and she could hear the girl's scream.

"Join the humans for now and once you love...good-bye to life you will say!" Arena chanted before she laughed loudly causing every creature near her to cringe as they realized that she had cast an evil spell that was going to destroy something.

"Tell me, my friends, who is the loveliest mermaid?" she asked the odd looking little creatures sitting on a shelf. There were about twenty scraggly little strips that had heads. They looked at each other before replying.

"Mai-chan! Mai-chan!" they chanted and Arena scowled. She turned back to her little orb and waved her hand again and heard the girl scream again. She laughed.

"I will kill you. And then...once you are dead and the royal family mourns a friend's passing...I will take away the freedom of these foolish mermaids and mermen!!" Arena laughed loudly, causing the water around her to vibrate with the sound.

* * *

"MAI!!" Michiru screamed as Mai was washed up on the shore. Michiru watched in horror as the water seemed to stay on Mai for longer than necessary until it pulled away and Michiru's eyes went wide. "Mai?"

Mai opened her eyes before sitting up. That wave had hurt horribly. She was sure that she had hit her head on something. She moved her legs, wait a minute...legs? She looked down and found that she had legs. She looked at Michiru and saw the mermaid was staring at her wide eyed. Mai attempted to cover herself as tears began to well as fear set in.

"Mai, where does that Naru live?" Michiru asked as she began to form a plan. Mai quickly told her as the tears began to spill. Michiru nodded before diving into the water and swimming towards the palace. She soon resurfaced and found herself staring at the balcony that Mai had told her about.

She looked around for a rock and found it. She reached out and grabbed it before aiming it at the doors. She heard it hit sharply before the door opened and a dark headed man walked out. She saw him look down at her as she waved her arms and saw his eyes widen.

"Do you know Mai?!" she cried and she watched as he nodded. She gave a sigh of relief. So this was Naru. She had never been so glad to see a human in her life! "Please, you need to get to the beach! She is in trouble and needs help!!" she called before diving back into the water.

Noll watched as the mermaid disappeared back into the water. He stood there for a moment before the girl's words pierced his still half-asleep mind. He turned on his heel, grabbing his cloak again, and running out. He didn't care how much noise he was making and ignored Gene as the older boy tried to get his attention.

He ran onto the beach and saw a naked human girl curled up on the beach. He felt his eyes widen as he recognized the brown head. He quickened his pace until he was kneeling beside her after having wrapped the girl in his black coat.

"Naru!!" Mai cried. He nodded before looking at her feet curiously. Why was she human?

"What's going on?" he asked and she shrugged her shoulders before looking out into the ocean. He saw the mermaid that had come and retrieved him floating in the water.

"I don't know. I lost my bracelet last night and I came to look for it. A wave crashed into me and I guess I lost consciousness for a moment. When I woke up...I had these!!" she flapped both her legs like she would a tail. Noll sighed before looking at the other mermaid.

"It looks like a spell has been cast on you. There's a sorcerer up at the palace. He may know something." he told her before turning to the other mermaid. "If you can think of a cover up story, I'll take care of her until we can figure out what is going on."

"Alright. Mai, will you be alright?" the mermaid asked and Mai nodded before Michiru disappeared underneath the waves and Mai looked at Naru.

"Let's get you up to the palace. I can say that you were in a shipwreck. It'll give us time at least. And it will give a story to the servants at the very least." he told her. She nodded as he helped her up. He let her go so that she could tuck the cloak closer to her body. Except that he forgot that she had never had legs and her knees buckled and he caught her.

"I suppose the first thing we need to do is teach you how to walk?" he asked and she nodded before gasping. He turned his head and saw his brother walking towards him and he could see from the look in his eyes that he knew what was going on.

"Did I just see a mermaid?" Gene asked once he neared the couple. Noll glanced at Mai and the girl shrugged. He helped her sit down on a rock before motioning for Gene to sit down across from Mai. He could see that his brother was looking at him curiously.

"Mai, this is my twin brother, Eugene or more commonly referred to as Gene. Gene, this is Mai. The mermaid that saved my life the other day." Noll told him with a 'I-told-you-I-wasn't-crazy' look in his eyes.

"She looks human to me." Gene pointed out and Mai instantly spoke up.

"I was a mermaid! I had a tail and everything!" Mai cried. Gene looked at her with a raised eyebrow before he laughed out loud.

"Why don't you have a tail now?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow. She huffed angrily as she glared at him. She could now see the relation between this Gene and Noll. They were both silly humans that just didn't understand mermaid ways.

"I was enchanted! Have you ever heard of magic? Or is that nonexistent in the human world as well?" she asked angrily. Noll placed a hand on her shoulder and she glanced up at him sourly.

"Calm down, Mai. We will find a way to send you home." Noll told her. She nodded before suddenly Gene laughed. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow as he continued to laugh.

"Really, Noll!! You attract the oddest problems!!" he told his brother. Noll rolled his eyes and Mai tilted her head curiously as her anger became a distant memory. Gene obviously saw it and he shook his head.

"He's got into some odd situations. You're shivering. Here, you can have my cloak as well." he told her. She thanked him as she wrapped his cloak around her front so that both cloaks covered all of her body parts.

"What are we going to tell them up at the palace?" he asked Noll. Noll sighed before pinching the bridge of his nose and answering.

"I figured we'd tell the servants that we found her in the remains of a shipwreck. We have to tell Lin and Madoka the truth. Especially if we want Lin to see if he can figure out how she became human." Noll said. Gene nodded before turning to look at Mai and she pulled the cloak tighter around her body.

"Are you able to walk?" he asked her kindly and she shook her head ruefully.

"No, Noll tried to help me a few minutes ago and when he let go...these felt as though they were on fire!" she wiggled her feet and she heard Noll laugh. She looked at him curiously as he knelt down beside the rock she was sitting on.

"Those are feet. I guess we need to tutor you." he told her. She nodded and blushed as he gently pulled the cloaks up to just above where tail had bent when she had still been a mermaid.

"Like I said, these are feet." he told her as he touched her feet. She wiggled the little things on the end and he chuckled. "These are toes." he touched those appendages. "These are your ankles." he told her, touching a spot just above her feet. "Calves and knees." he continued his upwards trek. She jumped as he placed his hand on a cloth covered part of her body. "This is your thigh and above it is your hip. Got it?" he finished and she bit her lip before nodding.

"Toes, feet, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, and hips!" she said as she pointed at each one as she said it. She looked up as Gene chuckled.

"She's a quick learner." Gene mentioned and Noll nodded in agreement. Mai blushed at the praise before squeaking as Noll pulled her to feet. She whimpered as the burning sensation returned to her feet and she was slumped against him once more.

"It hurts." she whispered and Gene shared a looked with Noll as a plan quickly formed in his mind.

"Why don't you carry her? We can tell them that because of the shipwreck that she hurt her legs badly and is unable to walk. We can teach her how to during her stay." Gene suggested. Noll nodded before scooping her up into his arms causing her to squeak and he chuckled at the bright blush on her cheeks.

"You know...you make a very cute human. Your eyes still change color. I'm glad." he told her. He watched as her blush deepened even more and he tightened his arms even more.

"And you are still a very odd human!!" she snapped at him and he shook his head at her. He should have known her personality wouldn't change.

"And you are still talkative." he replied. She gave a 'humph!' and turned her head away and refused to speak to him anymore as they made their way across the beach.

Gene glanced over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. He couldn't help but think that his brother was acting very oddly. He was treating this girl kinder than he seen him treat any other girl. Gene wondered what it was about this mermaid but shook his head. His parents would just be glad to know that his brother was interested in a girl.

'Although, she is kind of cute. Mother will probably start planning for grandchildren the minute she sees her. If Mai is still around for our birthday that is.' he thought before looking up as the palace came into sight. 'We'll just have to wait and see.'

"What's your favorite color? I'll commission some dresses for you." Gene said and Mai blinked before smiling shyly.

"My tail was navy...and I was always fond of that color." she said. He nodded as he realized that a deep blue would look very lovely on her. He shared a look with his brother and the younger boy sighed.

"Let's just get this over with." Noll said.

* * *

"What in the world?!" Madoka exclaimed as the twins walked into the parlor, with Noll carrying a young woman wrapped in their cloaks. He placed the girl on the couch. He tightened the cloaks around the young woman once more before turning to Madoka and Lin as Gene sat down beside the woman.

"This is Mai Taniyama." Noll said. He looked at Lin as the man was studying Mai before the dark headed man shook his head. He stood up and went over and gently took Mai's hand kissed it causing her to turn a deep red.

"It is an honor, indeed, to be graced with the presence of a mermaid. How may I be of assistance?" he asked and Mai blinked in surprise. Noll cleared his throat and Mai looked at him surprised as did the tall man.

"This is Lin, the sorcerer I was telling you about. This is his...friend, Madoka." he introduced the curly haired woman who came forward and shook her hand.

"It is a pleasure." Madoka said with a bright smile. Mai returned it shyly as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She felt very self-conscious in front of all the men without any clothes.

"Before you start talking about anything, this poor child needs clothing!" Madoka cried as she watched Mai attempt to pull the cloaks together even further.

"I'll carry her up to your room. We have to teach her how to walk." Gene said amiably and Madoka nodded. Once the three were gone from the room Noll turned to look at Lin.

"I'm assuming you sensed the magic that's turned her human?" Noll asked. Lin just nodded before shaking his head. Noll waited for the older man to think. He knew better than anyone not to push the sorcerer.

"It's a deep magic. One I can't break with a simple spell. It could take weeks for me to find a way to send her back. However, if she doesn't wish to ever return...I can't send her back." Lin finally answered carefully as he still wasn't sure what type of spell had been placed on the young mermaid.

"Why would she not wish to go back?" Noll asked and Lin glanced at him before shaking his head.

"Even I can't break a bond like love. The spell was placed by a sea witch. I don't know of the intricate details, so tread carefully. All of you." Lin told Noll before leaving the room.

'What the hell does he mean by that?!' Noll asked himself.

* * *

_So...the plot starts. Please review, I haven't been getting many and I don't know if people are enjoying the story or not. I would appreciate feedback on what you think. So, don't hesitate to leave a review, trust me, I love opening this page up and seeing that I have twenty reviews that I need to read. It's fun! Kieno0324 out._


	3. Chapter 2

"That dress looks very lovely on you." Madoka said as Mai stumbled out in a baby blue dress. It was one of Madoka's dressed and Mai was a little bit smaller than Madoka. Mai watched as the older woman placed a belt around her waist to fit the dress better and smiled at her before helping her sit down in a chair.

"I suppose now that we have you dressed that we need to teach you how to walk. Have we got a story to tell the servants so that they won't question her sudden appearance?" Madoka asked Gene as she looked up at him from where she was kneeling in front of Mai.

"Yeah. We're just going to tell them that she was in a shipwreck. Noll may be telling them right now what's going on. Hopefully we'll be able to figure out what's going on before mother and father arrive." he told Madoka and the woman nodded before tapping her chin. Mai watched as the woman seemed to be in deep thought before suddenly Madoka grinned.

"I know. If they come here before we can help Mai, I'll tell them that I discovered that she was part of my family. It'll hide everything else from them." she told Gene and Mai and they both nodded.

"Thank you, Madoka. Can we go back to Naru-chan now?" Mai asked with a smile. Madoka bit her lip to keep from laughing at the nickname that Mai could be only referring to one person as.

"I'm assuming that you are talking about Noll?" Gene asked and Mai blinked. She blushed as she realized that she had used her nickname for Noll. Gene raised an eyebrow and she bit her lip before giggling.

"Your brother is a bit of a narcissist so I nicknamed him narcissistic Naru-chan!" she said brightly. Gene chuckled before shrugging his shoulders as Madoka began to laugh herself before standing up.

"She is right, Gene. Noll is rather full of himself." Madoka told him and Gene shrugged. He bent down to Mai and scooped her up. She squeaked and Madoka glared at him until he put her back down on the bed.

"What? She asked to go back to Noll. I was going to take her to him!" Gene exclaimed at the glare that Madoka was giving him. Madoka rolled her eyes before looking at Mai with a gentle smile.

"Have you tried walking?" she asked and Mai nodded.

"Yes. But my feet start to burn every time I've tried to walk." she whispered before blinking as Madoka pulled out two odd looking things. Mai watched as she slipped the silken things onto her feet and she looked at the woman curiously.

"These are slippers, or shoes as some call them, they protect your feet from getting hurt. Slippers are the most comfortable type of shoe. Let's see how you do." Madoka helped her stand and once she was sure Mai would be alright on her own she let the girl's hands go.

Mai winced as her feet protested before taking a deep breath. She had to do this. She couldn't give up this easily. If she was going to be a human for a little while, then she had to learn how to act like one. That meant learning how to walk and ignoring the burning sensation in her feet. She took a deep breath and looked at Madoka expectantly.

"Alright, move your left foot forward." Madoka instructed. Mai did as she was told and squeaked as she almost lost her balance. Gene rushed forward and steadied her before winking at her.

"Take it slow. After all, imagine the look on Noll's face if you walk towards him without him helping you learn how to walk." Gene told her. She smiled and nodded before he steadied her so that she was standing straight up again. "Just take your time and keep your sense of balance. It will help."

"Okay, thanks." she whispered before taking a deep breath. She slowly moved her foot forwards and set it down. Her other foot automatically followed and she gasped as she realized what she had just done. "I walked!"

"You did. Try it again." Madoka said. She watched as Mai took another shaky step forward but managed to keep her balance. Mai turned her head as she heard applause and she smiled at Gene. He winked at her before going over and helping her hobble over to a chair.

"It might be best not to rush things. We don't want you hurting yourself on accident." he told her and she nodded in understanding.

"He's right. Especially when there are so many stairs in the palace. We don't want you accidentally falling down them." Madoka agreed. Mai nodded once more before biting her lip and looking at the two humans standing before her.

"Can we please go back to Naru-chan?" she asked and Madoka nodded at Gene. Mai wrapped her arms around Gene's neck as he scooped her up.

Gene had a pretty good idea where his brother might have gotten to. He knew Mai had to be apprehensive. She had every right to be. He began to move towards Noll's room. He could feel the young woman in his arms shaking slightly and glanced down at her and felt his eyes soften.

The blue dress Madoka had given suited Mai. It had cropped sleeves and had a round neck. The dress was pulled against the girl's waist by the large brown belt Madoka had placed there earlier and the dress then flowed to the floor. His eyes softened even more as he realized Mai was trying not to cry.

"It's alright to cry." Gene told her and she looked up at him slightly startled. She smiled at him weakly before burying her head against his shoulder as the tears came. Gene smiled before continuing his journey. "I'm willing to listen if you want me to." he told her and she heard her breath deeply.

"What if I can't go home? I just want to see my mother and friends again." she whispered and Gene tightened his arms around her as he reached Noll's room.

"We will find a way, Mai. Noll is a lot of things and one of them is determined. He won't give up until he finds a way to get you home. Don't worry. There's a way and I'm sure Noll will find it." Gene assured her and Mai smiled at him gratefully and he chuckled.

"Alright, let's see if Noll has gotten you a room yet." he told her and she nodded in agreement. A bed sounded absolutely delightful at that moment.

* * *

Mai lay in the bed staring out the window. She had the cover pulled up to her chin as she stared at the stars. She felt sleep tugging at the edges of her mind but she really didn't want to fall asleep. She shifted in her bed before pushing the covers back. She carefully placed her feet on the floor before pushing herself up. She winced at the slight pain before walking forward slowly to the balcony.

She was glad when she made it to railing. She leaned against it to take the pressure off her feet. She stared down at the water and felt a smile spread across her face as she stared at the water. She loved the way that the moon reflected off the water and made everything around it glow. Mai sighed wistfully.

'What is wrong with me? Just this morning I was wanting to see Naru again. I'm living in a room right next to his! And I'm wanting to go back home?! What is wrong with me? I should be enjoying this chance. How many mermaids become human?' she thought before taking a deep breath.

"Yes, I will enjoy this!" she said out loud to herself before turning and making her way back to her room. She realized that as she went, the burning sensation in her feet was slowly fading away. She flopped down on the soft mattress and let out a sigh.

'Tomorrow, I won't think about any of this! I will learn how to act human!' Mai assured herself before she pulled the cover back over her body. She slowly fell asleep until she was breathing lightly.

* * *

"Noll, you're going to need to rest. Madoka wants us to show Mai around the palace tomorrow." Gene told his brother when he discovered him in the library later that night. Noll sent him a look before shrugging his shoulder and looking back at his book.

"I'll be fine." Noll assured him. Gene went over and hit his brother on the head causing Noll to wince. He looked up and glared at Gene. He saw that the boy was looking at him worriedly and sighed.

"I'm used to you collapsing with no explanation. Do you really want to do that to Mai and worry her? She has enough on her mind right now." Gene scolded him. Noll sighed before closing his book and standing up. He shot his brother a look.

"If you don't leave me alone, I'll tell her that you can't swim." he threatened. He saw his brother's eyes widen at the threat. He held back a smirk at the look on Gene's face. He was sure that his brother hadn't been expecting that.

"You wouldn't!! She wouldn't leave me alone until I tried to swim!" Gene cried. Noll chuckled as he slipped the book back in it's place on the shelves.

"I know." he told his brother before walking out of the library. He made his way towards his bedroom. He stopped at the room that Mai had been placed in and gently opened the door. He quietly stepped in and allowed a smile to grace his features as he saw the content expression on her face. He went over and gently took her wrist. He placed the charm bracelet back on. He gently put her hand back beside her face.

"Good-night, Mai." he whispered and watched as she turned in her sleep. He chuckled as he saw that she had one of her pillows in a death grip. He slowly left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. Tomorrow would be a busy day and he did need to rest.

'I will find a way to help you, Mai. I promise. You helped me. I'll help you.' he thought as he went about his routine for getting ready for bed. 'I swear to you I won't let you be stuck here if you don't want to be.'

* * *

"How are you feeling this morning?" Gene asked as Madoka helped Mai walk into the breakfast room. Mai smiled brightly at Gene before turning to Noll and forcing Madoka to let her sit next to the other twin. She greeted Noll and he returned the greeting.

"It's a very nice day out today. After you get done showing her around the palace, why not take her out to the little village. It will get her used to human company." Madoka suggested brightly as she sat down beside Lin.

"That sounds like a pleasant idea!" Gene agreed. Mai giggled as she saw the sour look that was on Noll's face. She nudged him with her elbow and gave him a gentle smile.

"Don't you like going out?" she asked curiously and he raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged her shoulders with a smile on her face.

"It's not that I don't like going out. I just don't like being in crowds." he answered and she smiled gently as Lin joined them and Madoka's attention was turned on him. She saw the blush was on the woman's cheeks and realized that Madoka wasn't nearly as vocal around the sorcerer as she was normally.

"I remember that I always used to like to leave the city and just float around. I didn't like being around big crowds either." she told him before blinking as one of the servants placed an odd thing in front of her. She looked at Noll, obviously not knowing what to do.

"You use this," he held his spoon up, "and use it like this." he showed her how to use it by demonstrating. He watched as she tried to imitate the action and had a little success. She shrugged and he chuckled at her.

"You'll get better at it the more you use the task." he assured her. She smiled at him before she continued eating. It was hard at first but as the meal went on she got better at eating with the odd-shaped utensil.

"So, Mai. Where would you like to start the tour? I bet Noll would like to start in the library." Gene said. Noll scowled at him until Mai gave a soft laugh. He turned to the mermaid and saw that she was smiling at him.

"I'd love to see the library." she told him as Madoka and Lin stood up.

"Well, if you three will be alright...we have errands to run in the village. I hope you enjoy your tour with these two dorks. I do hope you have a good amount of sanity in you." Madoka winked at her before they left the room and Mai looked between the two twins before giggling.

"That woman..." Noll growled.

"Is so annoying." Gene finished. Mai laughed at that and both twins looked at her with raised eyebrows. She couldn't control her giggling but she was able to get her words out.

"Why...don't...we...start?" she giggled uncontrollably and both twins sighed as they realized she was having a giggling fit.

* * *

"Are you sure that you're up to going into the village? You haven't been walking that long." Gene asked worriedly. Mai gave him a kind look before nodding.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I promised that I'd tell you or Noll if I started feeling tired. Besides, I really want to see this little village! It sounds exciting!" she exclaimed and Gene shrugged his shoulders before looking at Noll who was shaking his head.

"I'll go tell Takigawa to get the buggy ready so we can drive there. I don't think we should make her walk." Gene said. Noll nodded as they stood in the main hall of the palace. Mai watched him go before looking at Noll curiously.

"What is a buggy?"

* * *

"Stupid little mermaid!!" Arena hissed as she threw a vile at the orb she had been watching that held Mai's smiling little face. "What a pretty face. It won't get you anywhere in life."

Arena scowled as Mai giggled at something one those twins had said to her. Arena was getting very aggravated with this whole ordeal. She scowled as she continued to watch Mai. She sighed before flipping her white hair over her shoulder and an evil smirk made it's way onto her mouth.

"I suppose the only way to get her out of the way is to do it myself. It may draw a little attention to me but right now I don't care. Once she's out of the way, I'll get what I want." Arena giggled before moving over to one of her vials. She took it off the shelf before turning back to her orb and laughing.

"You will be sorry that you ever made friends with little Princess Michiru. Of that I will make sure." she laughed before downing the potion in the vial and a black light engulfed her. Once the light hade faded, the witch was gone and all her little creatures shared looks.

"Not good." they all chirped together.

* * *

Mai was amazed by all the humans that were walking around in the village. She could hear Noll and Gene talking behind her. She didn't care that they found her amazement amusing. She was rather sure they would be the same way if they could see _her_ home. She was still amazed by it sometimes.

"Um...oh!!" Mai squeaked as she tripped and fell to the ground. She sighed as Noll and Gene held their hands out. She took each one and they pulled her up. She brushed her skirt off before Gene said that he was going to go have her dresses made. She watched him for with a smile before turning to continue on her trek.

"Miss!! Miss, wait!!" she turned around and frowned as she saw that no one was there.

"Look down." she heard Noll instruct. She did as he told and gasped. It was so cute!! There was two short little men with one holding out one of her slippers. She took it from him and gave him a bright smile. He returned it and the other one laughed jovially.

"Thank you, sir. That was very kind. Um, would it be to rude of me to ask...what are you?" she asked and the two laughed again. She smiled at the sound as she slipped her shoe back on.

"Of course not. We're dwarves." the first one answered. "My name is Donnie. This is my brother Charlie. We work in the mines."

"Yep. We come sell some of our gold every week." Charlie laughed and Mai smiled before shaking each of their hands.

"My name is Mai. Thank you very much for retrieving my slipper. I appreciate it. I would like to come visit you before I have to go. Where is your stand?" she asked and the dwarves shared a look.

"Here, Miss Mai. It's a charm. For that bracelet I noticed you were wearing. If

you touch the charm, it will tell you where I am at least." Donnie told her. She gasped as the dwarf slipped the charm on and she smiled at him.

"Thank you very much. I appreciate the gift. I will come see you. What days are you here?" she asked again and the dwarf smiled at her.

"Every day, just after breakfast. Our stand changes, that's why I gave you the charm. Also...I sense danger in your future, should you need us, you can call us with that charm." Donnie told her as he and Charlie turned away.

"How many of you are there?" she asked. She watched as he looked over his shoulder and smiled brightly.

"Seven." and then they were gone in a blink of an eye. She looked up at Noll and saw that he seemed rather unaffected by the encounter with the dwarves.

"Seven?" she asked him. He shrugged his shoulders as he began to pull her through the crowd. Why had Gene left them in the middle of this madhouse? Noll didn't want to let Mai out of his sight, as he wasn't sure what the mermaid could get into if someone didn't have at least one eye on her at all times.

"Dwarves usually have large families. Chances are...they are all brothers. And they like to mine. It is rather an honor to have one give you a gift from their mine. He must have really liked you." Noll commented as he continued to look for the dress shop that his brother had told him he would be ordering Mai's clothes from.

"Oh. Well, I'm glad I got to meet them. They seem very interesting. I wonder what it's like to have brothers and sisters." Mai commented as they entered the shop. Noll looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't you have siblings?" he asked and she shook her head.

"No. Only the royal family has multiple children. Any other families only have one child." Mai explained before falling silent as Gene turned to greet them. He motioned her over and she hesitantly walked over to him and the woman standing beside him.

She stood still as the woman measured her, she supposed for her new clothing. Mai watched as the woman turned to Gene and told him that it would be a few days before she had the new garments. Gene thanked her before ushering Mai and Noll out of the shop and he gave a sigh of relief.

"I hate going into that shop. It's so stuffy." he said as they stopped at another little stand. Mai laughed before Noll started asking why Gene even knew about the dress shop.

"Miss?" Mai turned towards the stand that they were standing beside. She smiled at the young woman that was running it and the woman returned it.

"Yes?" Mai asked as she drew closer to the stand and further away from the twins. Neither of the twins realized that she wasn't near them anymore as they began to get into an argument.

"I noticed your eyes and I thought this necklace would look very lovely on you." the young woman said. Mai blinked at the necklace and realized it was a choker. She had only seen Michiru wear one once. Michiru had never said anything about what it felt like.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't have any money. I'm new here." Mai said as she tried to move away. She was a ware of the fact that the twins were still arguing loudly. She also knew that she probably needed to diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

"Please, humor me." the woman begged. Mai gave a soft sigh before nodding. She allowed the woman to hook the choker around her throat and took the mirror the woman offered her. She looked in it before smiling. However, when she tried to take the necklace off it started to tighten.

"What?" she asked as she struggled with the necklace. She began to gasp for breath before everything started to go black. She started to fall to the ground. "Help..." she rasped before darkness overtook her subconscious.

"Help, indeed. Bye-bye, little mermaid." Arena laughed as the enchantment wore off and she was standing there, her white hair falling to the ground. "Say hello to death for me." with a flash of light she was gone.

"Where's Mai?" Noll asked as he realized the girl was gone. He heard Gene's quick intake of breath and saw him pointing at a prone figure. "Mai!!"

"What's wrong with her?" Gene asked as he realized the girl was unconscious. He watched as Noll studied the girl before he looked at Gene. Gene raised an eyebrow as Noll held his hand out.

"Give me your knife!" he ordered.

"What?" Gene asked.

"Hurry up and just give it to me!" Noll demanded. Gene fumbled with the knife before handing it to Noll. He watched as Noll cut the choker around Mai's throat. Gene watched as Mai's whole body jerk as air entered her lungs. He caught the knife as Noll tossed it back to him. Gene frowned as he saw the blade was glowing blue.

'Lin said if the blade ever glowed blue after cutting something...that something was enchanted. What is going on? Who is wanting to kill Mai so badly?' he thought as anger fisted in his chest.

_

* * *

_

Remember to review. Review. And REVIEW!! Peace! Kieno0324 out.


	4. Chapter 3

"Are you alright?" Noll asked once he was sure that she had her breath back. She just nodded as she touched her throat. She looked at the choker as Gene held it up to inspect it.

"What happened?" the other twin asked as he pocketed the accessory. He would show it to Lin later. There was no doubt there was some type of enchantment on the necklace. Gene just wanted to know what kind of spell it was and who had cast it.

"I'm not sure. There was a girl about my age that asked me to try a necklace on. The next thing I knew I couldn't breath. Everything was so dark, I thought I was going to die until Noll saved me." Mai whispered. Noll and Gene shared looks before Noll helped Mai stand. She was wobbly on her feet again and he helped her through the streets.

"Let's get you back to the palace so you can get some rest." Noll told her. Mai just nodded. She wasn't sure what was happening. Who was the girl that had given her the choker? She had never seen her before and didn't understand why the girl had wanted to harm her. Mai sighed as Noll helped her into the buggy and Gene grabbed the reigns. Mai fell asleep in hopes to get away from her thoughts.

"Do you have any thoughts on this?" Gene asked as he peered at the sleeping Mai. Her head was resting on Noll's shoulder and the younger twin didn't seem to mind. Noll remained silent for a moment and Gene didn't think that he would answer him. Gene wouldn't have been surprised. Noll didn't always answer him, especially when he was deep in thought.

"I suggest we speak to Lin when we return." Noll answered. Gene sighed as he knew very well what that meant. It meant that Noll didn't know what was going on and was going to rely on Lin. Gene gave a soft sigh. He appreciated Lin, he did. He just wished that they could help Mai without anymore help.

'And I always thought mermaids were fiction.' Gene thought with a sigh. He hadn't realized how wrong he was.

* * *

"It's a black spell. A very well placed one. I don't recognize the type of magic, it will take time to research on it. I believe the sea witch that has changed Mai may be behind this as well." Lin said as he examined the choker. The twins exchanged looks before Noll ran a hand through his hair.

"What could have brought this wrath on Mai?" Gene asked. Lin placed the choker on his desk before looking at the twin. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I know that sea witches are very jealous creatures. She may just have noticed Mai and became angry. Though why she is going after Mai with such a vengeance, I do not know." Lin told them before turning to Noll. "She seems to be attached to you, Noll. I suggest that you keep a close eye on her. She may become depressed."

"I know." Noll said before leaving his brother and the sorcerer in the older man's office.

Noll let his feet lead him to the library and he claimed a seat. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. He felt tied to Mai. She had saved his life when she had been told her whole life to stay away from humans. And not only did she save his life, she came back to speak with him.

'And because she came back for that bracelet, she was turned into a human. There has to be a way to help her. I just don't know how.' Noll thought as he looked around the large library. 'How is it we have so many books but none of them can help us help Mai?'

"Naru?" he looked at the door and saw Mai standing there. He immediately stood up and went over to her. He helped her walk to the couch and she sat down. She smiled up at him and he returned it with a small smile.

"You looked deep in thought." she commented. He sighed as he claimed a seat next to her and brushed a hand through his hair. He realized that he had only just picked up the habit when he met her.

"Thinking on how to help you. Lin's having trouble trying to figure out how to break the sea witch's enchantment. What can you tell me about her?" he asked. He watched as she tapped her chin before shaking her head.

"I don't know much about her." she said. She looked up at him and he noticed a piece of hair in front of her face. He reached out and gently brushed the hair from her face and behind her ear. He allowed his hand to linger and watched as Mai's cheeks turned red. He started to lean down towards her mouth.

"Oh, Noll!!"

* * *

"Tell me, my little orb, who is now the loveliest in the ocean?" the human sea witch asked fondly. She watched as the orb showed her the little mermaid standing beside the black haired human as he argued with another human.

"WHAT?! How is she alive?!" Arena screamed before looking around the little cabin that she was in. She growled before narrowing her eyes. A thought struck her and she gave a soft laugh. She went over and watched as the orb zoomed in on the little mermaid's face.

"Enjoy your time, little mermaid. You won't have it for much longer. I will have you dead before I return to the ocean. Your little human guard won't be able to save you." Arena hissed as she turned. She snapped her fingers and she was suddenly a very different person.

A young girl in a maid's outfit stood there. Her cropped blonde hair fell just past her ears and she smirked at the reflection she saw in the mirror. She waved her hand and the mirror fell to the ground.

"Oh, yes, little mermaid. I will have you dead."

* * *

"What?!" Gene fell out of his seat and stared at Madoka wide eyed. He looked at his brother who was pinching the bridge of his nose and Mai who looked curious. He looked back at Madoka who was scratching the back of her head.

"I just received a letter from your parents. They're coming earlier than expected. We are having to plan a celebratory ball for their arrival, which is not tomorrow but the day after." Madoka groaned. Mai looked at Noll then at Gene. They both looked stunned and then horrified.

"I thought they were coming for your birthday? Didn't you tell me your birthday was next week?" Mai asked curiously as she looked at Noll. She watched as he groaned as he covered his face. Mai tilted her head curiously and looked over at Gene who had the same look on his face.

"They were supposed to." Noll whispered and Mai looked at Madoka. She noticed that the woman was trying not to laugh. When Madoka saw Mai looking at her she bit her lip in order to answer the girl's unasked question.

"The twins...moved here in hopes to get away from their parents..._eccentric_ ways I suppose. You do know they will ask about a future bride, Noll." she turned to the younger of the twins. He smirked at her and she watched as he wrapped an arm around Mai's waist. She raised an eyebrow as she wondered what he was up to.

"That's why Mai will be attending their welcoming ball with me." he said. Madoka shook her head before shrugging her shoulders.

"Alright. Gene?" she turned to the other twin and she was surprised to see a smirk on his face as well. He looked exactly like Noll with that silly smirk on his face.

"You know...Lin has been wanting me to catch up on my studies. I think...that this may be the best time to go catch up. I'm sure mother and father will let me skip out on this ball." Gene said as he got up and left the room. Madoka shot a look at Noll as he withdrew his arm from around Mai's shoulder.

"How is it that every time they come to visit, that boy is behind in his studies?" Madoka asked with a soft sigh. Mai gave a small giggle as the older woman left. She looked at Noll curiously and he shook his head.

"Don't ask." he told her. She shrugged her shoulders before giggling and Noll looked at her curiously.

"I don't see why you're so upset about seeing your parents. Surely they aren't that bad." she said as she forced her giggles to stop. She watched as Noll raised an eyebrow before shaking his head at her. She blinked.

"Just wait until you meet them. You'll change your mind. Excuse me, I need to make sure that Gene had a party dress commissioned as well. Another reason to wish that they had given us more of a head start." he grumbled as he left the room.

'I swear. I'd be happy if I could see my mother and father again. I miss my family so much.' she thought as she went over to the big window of what she assumed was Gene's study. She could see the ocean and she felt her heart beating fast.

She turned and dashed out of the room. She ran through the kitchen, dodging the chefs and their helpers. She went out the kitchen door and down the steps leading to the beach. She felt the ocean calling her blood. She ran into the sand, pulling her shoes off as she went.

She ran into the water. She gasped in delight as the salt water washed over her feet. She wiggled her toes and smiled as the water rushed between them and she pulled the skirt of her dress up slightly so that the hem wouldn't get wet. She moved farther into the water until it reached her knees.

'The water feels so nice.' she thought as she stood there and continued to let the water run around her legs. She gave a soft sigh as she peered out at the water. She missed her tail and being able to swim through the cool water. Although, she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back to being a mermaid. At least as a human she could still swim, as a mermaid she couldn't walk.

"Mai?" she jumped in the water, effectively wetting the part of her skirt that she hadn't wanted to wet. She looked over and saw that Michiru was smiling at her from the ocean. Mai felt her face split into a wide grin before she jumped into the water and swam over to her friend and hugged her tightly.

"Michiru!! I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed. Michiru smiled at her before nodding in agreement.

"I've missed you as well. I talk to father and he said to let the sorcerer see what he can find. Father is afraid that Arena has placed a curse on you and he doesn't want to risk hurting you while trying to reverse it." Michiru told her. Mai nodded before looking at the palace and then back at the other mermaid.

"To be honest...I'm not really sure if I want to go back yet." Mai whispered truthfully. She turned at Michiru's gasp.

"Why?" Michiru exclaimed. Mai gave a soft sigh as she swam back to the beach and sat on the sand as Michiru continued to float in the water.

"Because, I feel as though I belong here. I feel wanted here." Mai said as she tried to explain what she felt when she was around Noll and Gene. It was something she hadn't felt before and she liked the way it made her feel.

"You're wanted at home! You have friends and family!" Michiru cried in despair. Mai just gave a small laugh before looking at her friend.

"Just you and your sister, Keiko, want me around. I mean think about it. The only reason my mother wants me around is to marry me off to someone I don't even know or like. Here, I feel as though they see me as more than some girl that can get married.

"Naru and his brother Gene actually listen to what I have to say. And Madoka, she treats me like a real mother should. I've never had that feeling before." Mai told her friend. She looked at Michiru and saw the pity in the other girl's eyes and sighed. Michiru nodded before smiling at Mai.

"Father will still try to find a spell. Because, not matter how much you deny it, Mai, you are a mermaid. You can't stay something you're not." with those words the girl dived back underneath the surface and Mai gave a soft sigh.

'I know. I just wish that I could stay here forever...' Mai thought as she curled up in the warm sand and allowed her eyes to close.

* * *

"Have you seen Mai anywhere?" Noll asked his brother later after he had been searching for the girl for nearly an hour. The older boy frowned as he slowly shook his head.

"No. The last time I saw her we left her in my study. Isn't she there anymore?" he asked as eh rose from his desk in his bedroom. He watched as Noll shook his head this time.

"No. I've searched everywhere. The library, the kitchen, anywhere that she might have felt comfortable going." he recited. Gene continued to think before another thought struck him and he raised an eyebrow.

"Not everywhere. What about the beach?" Gene said with a grin on his face that made Noll want him to punch him. Mostly because the older boy was right and Noll was wondering why he hadn't thought of it first. After all, Mai was a _mermaid_. And mermaids liked beaches, didn't they? Or at least Mai did.

"I'm going, I'm going." Noll grumbled as he saw the pointed look on his brother's face. Shouldn't Mai be able to handle herself on the beach at least? He thought back to the incident in the village and sped his step up. Maybe letting her be by herself wasn't the best idea. Especially with some unknown person wanting her gone.

It wasn't hard to find her as she was curled up in the sand. As he drew closer he felt his eyes widen as he realized she was sound asleep. He gave a soft chuckle before he knelt down in the sand and scooped her up. She gave a soft sigh before curling against him and he sighed.

"I never knew mermaids were so cute when they slept." he admitted to her softly and she gave a soft sigh. He chuckled before turning and walking back to the palace. He was glad to just have her back in his sight. He wasn't sure why he had been so panicked over the fact that he couldn't find her.

He had been scared, irrationally he supposed, that she had found a way to return to the sea. He wasn't sure why he didn't like that thought. Wasn't he trying to help her get back home himself? He shook his head as he made his way into the main hall of the palace and up the stairs, all without being noticed.

'I'm becoming attached.' he realized as he laid her down on her bed. He ran a hand through his hair as a frown settled on his features. He wasn't sure how he was becoming attached. He had never become attached to anyone before. He was sure he would miss certain people if they left, Gene being the only one that he supposed he was attached to.

"Naru..." Mai mumbled in her sleep as she turned over and Noll felt his frown melt away as a smile replaced it. He brushed her bangs back and let his hand linger on her forehead before he quickly snatched his hand back. He realized what was happening and he wished that he didn't know what was happening.

"Hey, Noll, you need to come to Lin's study. He thinks he found something." Gene stuck his head in Mai's bedroom. Noll quickly moved away from Mai and towards his brother. He saw Gene glanced at Mai before they both left the room.

"What does he think he found?" Noll asked as they started towards the sorcerer's study. Gene looked Noll in the eye before shaking his head.

"I'm not sure myself. I think we better let him explain." Gene said as they entered the room. Noll saw that the older man was hovering over his book and looked up as he heard them enter. He gave a soft sigh before closing his book and motioning for the twin princes to sit down.

"I have found the curse placed on Mai. However, I can't reverse it. I don't know the details that the sea witch used in her spell. I'm sure I can do more research but it could take months for me to find anything that could help Mai." Lin told them and the twins nodded in understanding.

"So we just need to keep her sane. What about that necklace I showed you? Is it the same magic as what turned Mai?" Gene asked. Lin pinched the bridge of his nose before nodding.

"Indeed. The sea witch must have been able to turn herself into a human. You need to keep a close eye on Mai. This sea witch is very determined to get Mai out of her way, although I do not know why." he admitted. Noll shared a look with Gene before standing up and running a hand through his hair.

"I will mention to Takigawa that Mai is in danger. I believe that he's taken a liking to her and will definitely see to her safety if one of us isn't present with her." Noll said and Gene nodded in agreement.

"I believe I'll make another run to the village to see if the seamstress can speed up Mai's clothing." Gene looked thrilled at the prospect. Noll chuckled before clapping Gene on the shoulder.

"Just think of it as a sacrifice. It may be for the good." Noll told his brother. Gene glared at him as he stood up. They both bid Lin farewell and he chuckled softly as he watched the bickering twins leave the room. He looked up as he felt someone staring at him. He watched as the figure detached itself from the shadows and Madoka was smiling at him.

"They seem to have a bit more life in them now that Mai is here." Madoka commented. Lin chuckled softly as he nodded in agreement.

"It is a pleasant change to have Noll back to his normal personality. He took the news about Gene's...ah, illness, quite hard." Lin said as he looked at Madoka. She approached him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. She blinked back tears as she thought of the young prince.

"At least he was able to meet Mai. You remember when he was a child and would always talk about mermaids and wizards and witches?" Madoka giggled and Lin nodded with a fond smile on his face.

"I remember. I am glad that he was able to meet her. It was slightly disheartening when he gave up on all that when he discovered his disease." he told her. She sighed before tightening her hand on his shoulder and he covered it. She gave a soft sob as she bent down and buried her head against his shoulder.

"I...I...just...wish we could save him!!" she sobbed and Lin gently reached up and began to run his fingers through her hair. He wished that he could ease her sorrow but his own was still fresh.

* * *

"Hey, you're up." Gene said with a smile as he rode up to Mai. He saw Noll standing behind her as she patted his horse's head.

"Yeah, she wanted to come back and see some of the horses. She wouldn't leave me in peace until I brought her down." Noll said and Mai glared at him before shrugging her shoulders. She turned to look back up at Gene and he chuckled at the 'I won out' grin.

"Well, congratulations on your first win against this idiot." he told her and she laughed out loud. She giggled and shrugged. He suddenly winced as he rubbed his chest and she looked at him curiously.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly and he nodded before straightening back up.

"I'm fine. I must be getting tired. I'll be fine." he assured her before the pain returned once more and he grimaced. He felt Noll take the reigns of the horse and began to slip from the saddles. The pain shot through his heart and made it's way through his body and he felt his eyes widen before closing into darkness as his body went limp. He felt something warm catch him as darkness engulfed him.

"GENE!!"

* * *

"What is going on?!" Mai demanded of the three she was sitting with, waiting for the doctor to get done with Gene. His sudden collapse had her on edge and she didn't like it at all.

"Don't worry, Mai. The doctor is with him. He'll do everything he can." Madoka tried to reassure her even though worry was nagging at the back of her mind.

"He was clutching his chest!! What's wrong?" Mai asked as she forced herself not to go in hysteria. She felt as though she were losing something very important to her and she was clutching in the dark to try and save it.

"He's dying." she whirled to look at Noll. She felt her heart slow down at the look in his eye. "He'll be dead by the end of the year."

* * *

_So...please don't kill me for leaving it there! I thought it was a good place to stop. And what does everyone think the ever evil Arena is up to? I don't know, I'm trying to figure it out myself. I hope everyone enjoyed and remember to review!_


	5. Chapter 4

"Dying?" Mai whispered as she stumbled back and fell into one of the chairs that was thankfully behind her. Her eyes remained locked on Noll before he looked away and she turned to Madoka as she felt tears in her eyes. The woman gave a gentle smile, although her eyes were also teary.

"About a year ago, Gene started complaining of severe chest pains. His parents had a doctor come in and take a look at him. He was born with a weak heart. The doctors didn't think it would bother him but it has gotten steadily worse as he aged." Madoka said and Mai looked at Lin. The sorcerer sighed before he launched a more detailed explanation.

"His heart doesn't pump as much blood as mine or Noll's does in a minute. Compared to the eighty our hearts beat in a minute, his beats about forty. It causes him to have blackouts and severe chest pains that causes him to collapse suddenly. He should be okay after he gets some rest.

"The excitement could have caused his heart to work harder than it normally does. His heart has been getting slower each year and excitement causes it to speed up and-" she cut him off.

"Have chest pains and spells." Mai finished for him. He looked at her slightly startled as she stared at her knees. Noll watched her curiously as she wiped at her eyes and knew that she was crying.

"Yes. Mai, don't worry. He'll be fine, he just needs some rest. Don't worry, he'd be upset if he knew." Madoka said and Mai nodded as she tried to blink her tears away. They looked up as the doctor entered and told them that Gene was now resting. She slipped away from them and slowly made her way to Gene's room. She knew she shouldn't enter but she felt as though she were being pulled to his room.

She quietly opened the door and saw that Gene was resting on his bed silently. She walked over to his bedside and felt tears well. His skin was pale and there was a sheen of sweat on his face that made him look as though he had been in the sun all day. Mai looked around and found a cloth and bowl of water.

She gently wet the cloth before turning back to Gene and wiping the sweat off his face gently. She watched as his eyes slowly opened and she bit back tears once again. His eyes were dulled and were glassy. He managed a weak smile and somehow she returned it.

"How are you feeling?" she asked as she gently brushed his bangs back. He gave a soft chuckle and she forced her tears back once more. She wasn't sure why she was crying so much but she was. The thought that Gene was dying had taken a lot out of her.

"Well, I feel as though I've been run over by a hundred buggies and then I ran three miles. Other than that? Perfect." he chuckled and she felt her eyes widen. She let out a small giggle as she sat down in the chair beside his bed.

"Can I ask a personal question?" she whispered. She watched as he nodded and she took a deep breath. She wasn't exactly sure how she should phrase it as she wasn't entirely sure of what etiquette consisted of in the human world. She decided that she would just be blunt and hope that she didn't insult him to much.

"What would you like to do before you die?" she asked softly. She watched as Gene looked at her slightly surprised before he smiled. She swallowed and wondered what he was thinking. Was he upset at her bluntness?

"I'd like to swim, just to be in the water once. With a mermaid if fate would be so kind." he whispered and Mai felt her eyes widen. She reached out and gently brushed his bangs away. She bit her lip as she tried to think of a way that she could make Gene's wish come true.

'I wonder if...Lin can make a charm that will return me to a mermaid. Just for an hour or two so that I can take Gene out. And let him...let him be in the water once...before he dies.' Mai thought sadly as she continued to brush her fingers through his bangs.

"I hope you can. I will do anything to help you make that wish come true. I swear, I will." she whispered to him. Gene looked at her and he managed to give her a weak smile. He reached out and gently brushed his fingers against her cheek and her tears spilled from her eyes and brushed his fingers.

"I know." he whispered softly.

* * *

Mai opened the door to Lin's study and squeaked as she immediately turned away. She had seen Madoka and Lin sharing a kiss and she felt her cheeks flaring. She realized that she should have knocked and warned them that she was entering.

"Hello, Mai. The doctor told us that he found you sitting with Gene. He also said that when Gene fell back asleep that he wouldn't let your hand go." Madoka giggled and Mai shrugged her shoulders before looking at Lin and he raised an eyebrow.

"Is there anyway that you...could make a charm or something that could turn me back into a mermaid for an hour or so?" she asked. She watched as Lin regarded her quizzically and she resisted the urge to bite her lip. She felt as though she were be regarded in front of a school room of merchildren.

"It shouldn't be hard. Why?" he asked and she took a deep breath. She ran a hand through her hair before giving a soft sigh.

"Gene told me something that he would like to do and involves a mermaid. I want to at least do that for him before he passes on. I owed that to him." she whispered and she watched as the two shared looks before Lin nodded.

"That is very kind of you, Mai. I'll see what I can find." he told her and she returned his look with a smile. Her spirit was lifting slightly at the fact that she would be able to do something for Gene. That was all that mattered. She was going to be able to make at least one of his dreams come true.

* * *

"I heard Mai talked to you." Noll told his brother as he sat by the older boy's bedside later that night. Gene nodded as he closed his book and put it on his bedside table. He gave a soft sigh as he looked out his glass balcony doors.

"Yes. She was biting back tears the whole time. I just wish that I hadn't had this attack around her. If she hadn't been maybe we could have told her something else, rather than the truth." Gene said angrily as he fisted his hands in his blanket. Noll gave a soft sigh before running his hand through his hair.

"She's very sensitive and undoubtedly figured that something was wrong. Especially if she came in here and saw how pale you are right now." Noll told him and Gene nodded in agreement.

"You're probably right. Don't tell mom and dad that I collapsed again. I don't want to ruin their visit." Gene said. Noll frowned at him and shook his head at her.

"They have every right to know if you collapsed or not but I suppose I can give you this one." Noll paused before meeting his brother's eyes and continuing. "How much longer?"

"I don't know. This was the longest time that my heart started beating at twenty beats a minute. The doctor wouldn't give me a straight answer." Gene said and Noll sighed before nodding. He smiled at his brother before telling him to get rest and leaving the room.

He walked past Mai's room and heard humming. He frowned before knocking on the door and waited as she called for him to come in. He opened the door and stepped inside. He blinked in surprise as Mai had a pink dress held up to her body as she stood in the nightgown that Madoka had lent her.

"Where did you get that?" he asked her and she looked at him surprised. She gave a soft giggle before putting the dress on her bed and smiling at him.

"Madoka is letting me borrow some of her things until the dresses that Gene had commissioned are finished. He told me that some them were supposed to be ready tomorrow." she told him and he nodded with a soft chuckle.

"Depending on how Gene is feeling tomorrow I might take you myself." he told her and she nodded in understanding. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek causing his eyes to widen in surprise.

"Thank you, Naru! I'll see you in the morning!!" she said brightly. He only realized that he had walked out of her room when he was standing in the hallway. He touched his cheek where he could still feel the warmth of her lips. The warmth spread from his cheek into his fingertips and down his arm. He took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh as he made his way to his bedroom.

'What does this mean?' he thought as he laid down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and Mai's face came to mind and his eyes snapped open in surprise. 'What the?'

* * *

"So one of the little princes is dying?" Arena asked her bubble in a delightful voice. It seemed as though everything was falling in place.

"Yes, my lady." the bubble replied as it continued to show her the scene where Gene had collapsed and Mai had caught her.

"Then this is the perfect plan to kill that brat." Arena said as she held up a bright red apple. The skin look beautiful but she knew that it held a powerful spell that would help her achieve what she wanted.

"My lady?" the bubbled asked and Arena gave a loud laugh.

"This apple will grant it's eater any wish. However, it comes with a deep price. It puts the eater into a death-like sleep. And only true love's first kiss can break the spell and only then the kisser has twelve hours until the eater dies." Arena laughed and watched as the bubble played the scene that happened between Noll and Mai. She narrowed her eyes before smirking.

"I just have to keep him away from her for twelve hours and then she's dead and the sea is mine!!" Arena laughed as she closed her eyes and she faded back into the maid that had been working in the palace unnoticed. "Indeed, little mermaid, you will be dead very soon."

* * *

"I wonder what Gene told Mai that she wants you to make that charm?" Madoka asked as she sat down beside Lin as he was reading through a book that he hoped would help him figure something out. He looked at Madoka and gave a small shrug.

"I don't know. However, Mai wants this for Gene and not for herself. It seems as though she really isn't interested in helping herself. She just wants this for Gene and no one else." Lin said. Madoka placed her head on his shoulder and he chuckled at the content look on her face.

"She is a rather selfless person. I can't imagine what must be going through her mind. I mean, she's here in a world that she doesn't understand. And she's wanting so much to help Gene." she whispered. Lin nodded as he continued to look through the book in his lap.

"That's the way of a mermaid. They are selfless when it comes to those that they care about. It's how they operate." Lin explained and Madoka gave a soft smile.

"Then she will be a wonderful person in this world. Do you think she will ever be able to return home?" she asked. Lin gave a soft sigh before running a hand through his hair.

"I'm trying, Madoka. I'm trying to helping her, I promise you." he told her and Madoka gave a small nod. He looked at her as her eyes started to fall asleep and he sighed. She was such an annoying woman.

* * *

"How are you feeling this morning?" Mai asked with a smile as she entered Gene's bedroom. She held a charm in her hand. She was glad that Lin had been able to create the object overnight, she hadn't known it was possible.

"Much better." he told her. She was glad to see that he was dressed in his pajamas still. She smiled at him before going over and helping him stand up. He looked at her slightly stunned and she winked at him before helping him out of the room.

He was surprised when she led him to the beach. He winced as she sat him down in the sand and walked out into the water. He watched as she put something on her bracelet and he looked away as there was a flash of light. Once the light faded away he turned back to where Mai was standing and saw her lying in the water with a blue tail forming at her waist and where her feet should have been.

"Mai, what is going on?" he demanded as she took his hand and began to drag him into the water. The thought of asking her to stop never even crossed his mind.

"Lin-san made a charm for me so that I can turn back into this form for about an hour. I'm going to make at least one of your dreams come true. Just keep one arm wrapped around my shoulders. Naru is keeping watch so that no one sees." she told him as she dragged him farther into the water.

She watched his face as she swam farther into the depths. She had never seen such elation on a person's face. She was happy to know that she was pleasing him as she swam through the ocean, not even enjoying the water as he was. He looked so happy that he was living a dream.

"Mai, thank you." he told her and she laughed before telling him to hold his breath. She dived under and showed him the underwater life near the surface before taking him back up so that he could breath.

"I should get back to the land. I can feel the magic fading." Mai whispered as she swam back to the shore. They barely made it as she felt her tail split and she winced at the feeling and soon was back in her clothes and Gene was lying on the sand, laughing loudly.

"What?" she asked as she crawled up so that she was lying beside him. She felt her heart flying at the way his eyes were lighting up with his laughter. He didn't look like a boy that was dying. She looked like a boy that was going to live for years but Mai knew deep down in her heart that she couldn't do anything to save him.

"Thank you, Mai. This was wonderful." he told her and she smiled at him. She brushed her fingers through his damp hair.

"I'm glad. We should get you back to your room and in dry clothes before your doctor sees you. He'll have a fit." she told him and he nodded. She frowned as she realized that his eyes had darkened to a deep blue. She tilted her head curiously and he smiled as he reached up and gently touched her neck.

"I'm falling in love with you."

_I know that it's been awhile and that I haven't updated regularly. But, I'm just not getting the reviews that I normally get. I would love to see what readers are thinking so please do tell me what you think. I will try to update as soon as I can. REVIEW!!_


	6. Chapter 5

_Here's the next chapter! I'm so sorry for the late update! We went on Senior trip and I couldn't take my computer with me so the moment I got back I started working on this chapter. It may seem a little rushed but I wanted to get it out there as fast as I could!_

* * *

Mai stared at Gene for a moment. She could feel her cheeks starting to redden in embarrassment as their eyes remained locked. She didn't know how to reply. She had never been confessed to before. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to react to something like that. Thankfully, she was saved as she heard Noll's voice.

"We need to get you in dry clothes. You should probably change as well, Mai." he said. She looked up at Noll and felt her cheeks redden even more. He had heard Gene's confession. She nodded and stood up before running towards the palace. She didn't stop running until she had reached her room and the door was closed firmly.

'My heart is beating so fast. And why can't I stop blushing?!' she asked herself before forcing the redness down. She took a deep breath before standing in front of the mirror. She was going to find out why she had been blushing so hotly.

'Okay, Gene.' there was no blush. She nodded.

'Gene confessing his love?' there was a slight pinkness but she supposed that anyone would blush slightly at being confessed to.

'Realizing that Naru heard.' her face deepened slightly in color and she gave a soft moan before another thought struck her. She looked back at the mirror and her slightly red face.

'Oliver Davis.' her face turned completely red. She squeaked as she stumbled back and covered her cheeks. She landed on her bed as she stared at her face horrified as she realized what the blush meant. 'I thought Michiru was just teasing.'

'_She wasn't_.' her heart replied. Mai dropped her hands to her beating heart. She fell back on her bed and blinked back tears.

'What am I supposed to do?' she thought as she curled up in a ball. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond to him. She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks as she pulled the cover over her head, forgetting that Noll had promised to take her into the village to gather her garments that she needed to live in the world with the humans.

* * *

"She is an amazing woman." Gene commented as he buttoned his shirt up. Amazingly, he felt better after his swim with Mai. He felt as though he could run a mile, though his doctor was likely to tell him he wasn't allowed to. He glanced at the aging man and his daughter, who also happened to be the man's apprentice.

"You should be very careful, sir. If you care for this woman so much then you should understand what your collapsing in front of her must have done to her emotions." the daughter, named Ayako, advised the young prince. He blinked in surprise before nodding in understanding.

"I'll try to stay calm. I know what it did to her. I don't want to see her crying anymore." Gene whispered softly as he continued to look at himself in the mirror. He could see Mai's crying face as she stood before him on his bedside. He shook his head, he wouldn't think about that.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to go see if my brother will take Mai into the town to pick her dresses up." he bowed to the two before leaving his room. He wasn't sure where his brother might be although he thought that he had a pretty good idea. He gave a soft sigh before entering the library.

"I see you're up." Noll's face came from behind one of the bookshelves. Gene waited as Noll walked from behind the bookshelf and met his brother's blue eyes. He shrugged with a smile on his face.

"The doctor told me that I could move about the palace, as long as I don't get to excited. Anyway, I was hoping that you would take Mai into town to pick her dresses up." Gene told him. Noll nodded before rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I was about to go tell her that we'd be leaving in about an hour." he told him. Gene smiled as he watched his brother walk away. He frowned as he realized that his brother had barely talked to him all day. He shook his head, maybe he was imagining things. His brother just had things on his mind.

'He'll be fine.' Gene assured himself before going and getting himself lost in the library.

* * *

"Mai?" he knocked on the door. There was no answer from the room. He frowned before calling out again. "I'm coming in, Mai."

He reached down and gently turned the knob and pushed the door open. He walked into the room and blinked as he saw her curled up in the bed. He walked over to her sleeping figure and saw that she was curled up in the blankets of her bed. He gently brushed her bangs back from her forehead.

He didn't want to wake her. But he also knew that they needed to go get her dresses fitted. He knew that Gene would be upset if he didn't do as he asked. He gave a soft sigh before gently shaking her shoulder. She gave a soft groan before turning in her sleep.

"Mai, you need to wake up, we have to go get your dresses." he told the sleeping girl. She gave another groan before her eyes opened. He was immediately frozen by the brown hues. They had a sleepy look and she looked so beautiful. He wished that he could kiss her but knew that they didn't know each other well enough.

"I'm awake." she mumbled. He chuckled before moving back so that she could climb out of the bed. She did so and blushed as he took her hand to help her stand. She looked up at him wide eyed and he smirked at her. She could feel her blush deepen.

"Good. I'll make sure Takigawa has the carriage ready to go." he told her. She nodded with a smile on her face. She sleepily watched him go with a smile on her face before she walked over and grabbed one of the many dresses that Madoka had let her borrow.

She dashed behind the changing screen and quickly changed from her dress that she had swam and slept in. She dashed out and pulled the silk slippers on. She left her room and dashed down the steps, past the servants that seemed to be getting ready for the arrival of the princes' parents.

She slowed down as she spotted Noll waiting for her at the front entrance of the palace. He nodded to her before opening the door as she drew close. She blushed at the courtesy before slowly walking out the door with him following her. She waited as he led her to the carriage and helped her up into the seat.

"Thank you for taking me into the village. I can only imagine that you would rather be staying with Gene at the palace." she whispered. He nodded before glancing at her. She looked at him and he saw the curiosity in her eyes.

"Go ahead, you want to ask something." he told her. She blinked before nodding as she thought about her question.

"Is there anyway that we can save Gene?" she asked softly. Noll gave a soft sigh as he looked ahead of the horses. He remained silent for a few more minutes as he tried to think of a way to answer her. He gave a soft sigh before turning his attention back to the girl sitting beside him.

"I suppose for you to understand what is really going on, I need to tell you about our childhood." he paused and she waited. She could see him swallow and she wondered what was so painful that he felt the needed to explain it to her.

"Naru, if you don't want to, you don't have to." she told him. He gave a soft sigh before shaking his head. he knew that he had to answer her. She had done so much for him and he felt as thought he hadn't repaid her enough for saving him yet.

"No, Mai. You need to understand what is happening." he told her before sighing. "When Gene and I were born, he was a good deal smaller than myself. His heart was smaller than other newborns and so he wasn't given much time. But he managed to survive.

"Our parents and Lin and Madoka all think that he started having attacks last year. They were wrong. His first blackout was when he was about eight. It was only for a minute or so and when he woke up, he begged me not to tell our parents. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I just thought that he had overworked himself and passed out for a few moments.

"But then it got to the point where he would be out for hours, maybe even days, for a time. One day, last year, our mother was out watching us with the horses. He had an attack and fell off his horse. He was lucky not to break anything as far as I was concerned." Noll paused and Mai's mind quickly filled everything else in.

"It isn't your fault, Naru. Gene didn't want them to know so they wouldn't worry. He trusted you with that. He would have fallen off that horse even if you hadn't known he was having attacks. Please, Naru, don't blame yourself." she whispered as she covered his hand that was hold the reigns. He looked at her surprised and pulled on the reigns

She felt her eyes widen at the deep look in his eyes. He began to bend down towards her and she felt her eyes begin to slip closed. She could feel his breath on her lips and she waited for something to happen before suddenly one of the horses neighed.

They pulled apart and Mai refused to look at him as her face flared red. She heard him clear his throat before the carriage jerked into movement. She glanced at him shyly before moving her eyes away again. She touched her lips as she realized what was about to happen if that horse hadn't neighed at them.

'He was going to kiss me!' her face flared even more as she made that realization. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye again and saw that his cheeks were slightly tinted as well.

A few hours later she had placed her dresses in the back of the carriage with Noll's help. She smiled at him and he nodded at her. She was back in the passenger's seat with Noll's help. The ride back to the palace was quiet and awkward. Mai wished that it wasn't, she didn't like not having Noll talking to her.

When they pulled up to the palace Noll climbed down and then helped her down. They silently carried her garments up to her room and she bit her lip as he was about to leave without speaking to her. She reached out and grabbed his sleeve and he turned to look at her curiously.

"Are you mad at me?" she whispered softly. He felt his eyes widen before he shook his head. She dropped her eyes before gasping as he pulled her close and hugged her tightly.

"No, I've just had a lot on my mind. I'm sorry if I've given the impression that I'm angry with you." he told her before pulling away. She looked up at him with a relieved smile and nodded in understanding.

"Alright. Why don't you go see how Gene is doing? I want to decide which dress he might like better." she told him. He gave a soft chuckle before nodding. He slowly walked out of the room.

He wasn't sure how to react. Mai seemed to be attracted to him but she was always worrying about how Gene would react towards her. He shook his head. He was taking all this to seriously because he had heard Gene's confession and he had watched Mai's cheeks flare.

'Could she return his feelings?' he thought. 'But why did she react to me trying to kissing her? Maybe it...was because I look like Gene.' he scowled before changing his path from Gene's rooms to the stables. He needed to go riding to clear his mind. He didn't want to see them making lovey-dovey eyes at each other.

* * *

Mai tied the red bow at the back of her dress. The red cloth fell down to her feet and clung to her chest and cinched at the waist before flaring out. The sleeves were capped and there was a red piece of cloth that tied around her throat. She slipped on the matching slippers before glancing at herself in the mirror. She smiled at the affect that it had.

'I wonder if Gene is in his room.' Mai thought as she quietly left her room and closed the door behind her. She made her way towards Gene's room and knocked on the door. She heard him call out and opened the door and walked in. She smiled as she saw that he was sitting at his desk.

"What do you think?" she asked as she turned around to give him the full affect that the dress gave her. She heard him chuckle. She looked at him with a smile on her face and saw that he was smiling at her as well.

"You look lovely in your new dress. I must say, for a mermaid, you certainly could fool everyone into thinking that you were a human since you were born." he assured her. She felt her cheeks tint slightly as she smiled at him.

"Thank you. Did Naru come to check on you?" she asked. She watched him frown before shaking his head.

"I haven't seen him since this morning." he told her. She frowned worriedly as she brushed a hand through her hair. She gave a soft sigh before shrugging her shoulders. She wasn't sure where he could have gone.

"I think I'll go look for him, if you don't mind." she told Gene. He shook his head before standing up and moving towards her. She felt her breathing hitch as he gently put his hands on her shoulders.

"I wasn't lying this morning. I really am falling in love with you. I would hope you would allow me to court you." he whispered as he bent his face down to hers. Mai felt her eyes widen as she felt his lips brush against hers. She immediately pulled away and looked up at him startled. She stepped back before turning and dashing out of his room.

She ran as quickly as she could down the stairs and into the kitchen. She stopped once she had made it there. She touched her lips and felt her eyes widen. He had just kissed her! She slid down so that she was sitting in the kitchen floor with her knees tucked underneath her chin. She kept her fingers on her lips as she tried to figure out what was going on.

'What am I supposed to do?' she thought as she continued to sit there curled up. She looked up as she felt a touch on her shoulder and saw that Madoka was looking at her curiously.

"What's wrong?" Madoka asked. Mai opened her mouth to answer before Madoka put a finger to her lips. "Let's go to the library so you'll have somewhere more comfortable to sit." Mai just nodded at Madoka's suggestion. She stood with the woman's help and they made their to the library.

Mai stayed quiet as she took a seat. She watched as Madoka called for tea and silently prepared it. She took the steaming cup from the older woman and stared into the brown liquid. She felt her heart slow in it's pounding and wondered what was happening to her.

"Now tell me, why did I find you sitting on the kitchen floor?" Madoka asked. Mai looked up at the woman before back down at her teacup. How was she supposed to explain this to someone who had always been a part of the twins' lives?

"This morning, when I took Gene out...to swim, he told me something afterwards. I didn't expect it." Mai paused as she tried to figure out how to tell Madoka exactly what was happening to her as she wasn't sure herself.

"What did he say, Mai?" Madoka asked. Mai gave a soft sigh before looking up at Madoka. She supposed that the best thing would be just to tell the woman outright what was going on.

"He told me that he was falling in love with me." she whispered. She heard Madoka squeal and her head shot up. The woman looked thrilled to death over the news that Gene had confessed. Until she looked at Mai's face and saw the confusion on the mermaid's face.

"Aren't you happy about it?" Madoka asked. Mai shrugged her shoulders as she tried to think of how to explain what she was feeling. She wasn't sure why she wasn't happy about it. She knew that she should have been. How many times did a guy confess his love to you?

"I know I should be. But it just doesn't feel right. I care for Gene and I wish that I could help him get better. But I don't think I love him back. And it wouldn't be right for me to lead him on. I just don't understand." Mai whispered as she put a hand to her head.

"You're in love with Noll." Madoka said with conviction. Mai's head shot up and she looked at Madoka slightly surprised. The older woman laughed at the look on Mai's face. "Tell me, what do you feel when you're around Noll?"

"I...I feel as though I belong here. As though I'm meant to be a human. Even though I know that isn't right. He makes me forget that I'm a mermaid and that I belong in the water. I don't how to explain how I feel when I'm around Naru. I feel as though I finally belong somewhere. Something that I didn't even feel when I was at home. Does that even make sense?" Mai asked softly as she twisted her hands in the cloth of her dress.

"It does. That's how I feel every time I'm with Koujo. You're in love with Noll, whether you wish to admit now or not. I'll leave you to your thoughts. If you need me, you know where my room is. That dress really does look lovely on you." Madoka told her before quietly exiting the room.

Mai sat there for a few more minutes as she thought. She set her teacup down and stood up. She made her way out of the library and bumped into a servant girl that looked as though she were taking a bushel of apples down to the kitchens.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Mai exclaimed as she bent down to help the girl pick the apples up. She looked up as the girl held a bright red apple out to her.

"Here, take this. It was my fault to begin with. And besides, I heard this apple can grant any wish if you bite into the fruit!" the servant seemed rather excited at the prospect as Mai took the apple hesitantly. She bit her lip as she looked at the apple in her hand, it did look rather delicious and her stomach was reminding her that she hadn't gotten a chance to eat breakfast that morning.

"The prince has collapsed! Fetch the doctor!!" she looked up at the sound of Madoka's cry. She looked back at the servant girl that was watching her.

"It can grant any wish?" she asked unsurely.

"That's what the lady at the apple stand told me!" she answered eagerly. Mai bit her lip before bringing the apple up to her lips.

'Please, save Gene's life. I beg of you.' she though as she bit into the skin. She chewed the sweet fruit and swallowed it. She felt her eyes widen before they slipped closed and she fell to the floor and the apple rolled from her limp hand.

"You foolish girl!!" Arena laughed as her form changed from the little servant girl to the original. She stared down at the sleeping girl and bent down so that she could whisper into her ear.

"Good-bye, little mermaid!!" she laughed loudly before disappearing as she heard footsteps.

Naru ran around the corner, his riding boots hitting the floor hard. He stopped as he saw Mai laying on the floor with an apple near her body. He slowly made his way to the girl and picked the apple up. He brought it up to his nose and almost gagged as he smelt the poison and magic on the apple.

"Mai?" he shook her shoulder gently before he saw the bite in the apple. His heart began to pound as he scooped the girl up and began to run to her room. She was so limp in her arms that he was beginning to fear for the worst.

"LIN!! HELP!!" he screamed as he realized that her breathing was slow and she wasn't even stirring.

* * *

"Foolish humans! You think you can break my spell, sorcerer?" the witch laughed as she watched the scene before her. "Nothing can save your precious little mermaid! To bad she actually believed that I would grant her wish!"

"_I can't break the spell. It's to strong. I'm sorry, Noll._" she heard the sorcerer say. She smirked as she settled herself in front of her watching mirror. She giggled happily as she watched the prince grow angry.

"That's right, _Naru_, your precious Mai will die at midnight tonight. As long as you don't figure out what's going on...she's as good as dead!" Arena laughed loudly as she continued to watch the scene in front of her.

* * *

"M-Mai..." Gene whispered in his restless sleep. The doctor looked at his daughter and Ayako shook her head before looking at the prince.

"What curse has been brought on this family?" the red headed woman asked softly as the prince groaned in pain. 'Who is doing this?'

* * *

_There it is!! Remember to review so that the author will be happy and update more often! Sayonara!_


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